


I Swear You're Not Boring

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Secret Santa, christmas related?, humor?, jeno just needs validation that he's not boring, this was in my drafts and i just wanted it finished, tootsie-pops are accidentally a theme, under 1k
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 07:49:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14996210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jeno doesn't think he's boring. That is, until Donghyuck casually mentions it in conversation.





	I Swear You're Not Boring

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry, this is so bad,,,, rip my nonexistent writing skills (probably some mistakes in here lol)

Lee Jeno had never thought of himself as boring. Sure, maybe his jokes were a bit unconventional and it took him awhile to adapt to new social dynamics, but at most he was just shy. When Lee Donghyuck joined his class halfway through his second to last year in high school, however, he found himself re-evaluating his sense of humor.

It was a Saturday three weeks before midterm exams, four months after Donghyuck had moved to the school, and precisely twenty minutes before Jeno realized he had some issues to work through. They were at Mark’s house, totally taking advantage of his snacks and wifi, sprawled all over his couches. Despite it being cold outside, Renjun was eating an entire gallon of ice cream with one pitiful plastic spoon, Jaemin eyeing him with disgust. Mark was in the corner making study guides on his laptop, stress eating away at his face. Donghyuck had claimed the floor, a red Tootsie-Pop in his mouth. 

Jeno had never actually thought Donghyuck was cute. He wasn’t ugly; the thought had simply never crossed his mind. But, for a fleeting moment, literally just a second, Jeno wanted to hug Lee Donghyuck. He was lying on the ground staring at the pictures on the TV screen, a blanket pulled to his waist, his hair surrounding his head in a fluffy halo, and Jeno just wanted to hug him. Not in a friendly way, like the way Renjun put them all in chokeholds, but the way Mark hugged his secret college girlfriend that he thought no one else knew about. He wanted to hug Donghyuck until he blushed.

“Jeno,” Renjun called, plastic spoon balanced between his teeth. “Do you think we should let Mark join Secret Santa?”

“Please say no,” Jaemin begged.

Mark wasn’t bad at giving gifts, he just wasn’t great. Last year he had bought Jeno mouthwash and everyone knew it was from Mark, because, what the fuck?

Donghyuck sat up, suddenly interested in the discourse. “Listen, everyone, we have to let Mark join. He’s responsible for being cringy, Renjun is a menace, Jaemin is sweetheart, I’m an angel, and Jeno is boring. We all have our roles. We can’t just exclude him for being a knock-off hypebeast.”

Jeno narrowed his eyes. Did Donghyuck just call him boring?

“Did you- did you just call me boring?” Jeno asked in disbelief. Jaemin giggled and Mark hid his face behind his laptop screen.

Donghyuck patted Jeno’s knee. “It’s okay, we all have flaws. Some more than others.”

Renjun cackled. “We’re the backbone of your sense of humor.”

Jeno pretended to laugh, nursing his wounded pride. “I guess.”

*

For the next few weeks Jeno was extra careful about his jokes. He tried to imitate everyone’s humor, including Mark’s. He watched clout chasing youtubers, comedy shows, even freaking cat videos. (Okay, maybe the last one was for self-amusement.) His friends still stared blankly when he made a joke and when he pouted, he could see Donghyuck trying to hold in laughter. 

Thankfully, he was able to block it out until exams were over, but the evening of the Secret Santa Reveal allowed all his humor-related insecurities to rise to the surface. 

He had to buy a gift for Donghyuck. (Just his luck.) Maybe, Jeno was becoming more brave the more he liked him, or maybe exams fried all of his brain cells, but Jeno’s gift was a bit questionable. 

He handed it to Donghyuck as Mark loaded Fortnite onto his TV screen. Renjun was frowning at his gift (Mark had gotten him a Walmart gift card.) and Jaemin was trying hard not to fall asleep.

“Ooh, is this for me?” Donghyuck asked. Jeno nodded.

He threw the tissue paper from the gift bag and the smile on his face fell. He hesitantly pulled out a fish plushie in the shape of a heart with the words “If you like me let minnow” written on it.

Donghyuck grabbed Jeno’s ear and pulled him in to the hallway. He shoved the plushie in Jeno’s face. “What hell hole was this created from? This looks like a amalgamation of demons. Honestly, what the fuck, Jeno, I thought Mark was weird-”

Jeno blocked him out as he spotted a mistletoe above their heads. Which cheap Hallmark film was he living in? 

Jeno looked down at Donghyuck’s lips. They were chapped and still red from a Tootsie-Pop he had right after school and Jeno didn’t really want a hug as much as he wanted a kiss.

Donghyuck noticed his obvious staring. “Oh no, no, no. Jeno you need to explain this shitty gift first-”

Jeno leaned down and laid a gentle peck on his lips. He looked up at him. “Do you really think I’m boring?”

Donghyuck stared back, a pink blush coating his cheeks. “Uh, no, I guess? What?” 

Jeno straightened up. “You said I was boring.”

Donghyuck stumbled over his words. “I’m, you know, I guess I was joking? But didn’t you just kiss me?”

Jeno nodded. “Yeah. I did.”

“And you’re not going to do it again?”

Jeno laughed. “I will if you swear I’m not boring.”

Donghyuck dangled his hands loosely around Jeno’s neck. “Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. I swear you’re not boring. But,” he added, “You’re shit at giving gifts.”

“It gave you butterflies, though, right?”

Donghyuck scoffed and leaned forward. “I take it back, you’re super boring.”

Jeno laughed and closed the gap between them again, grateful that his pride was restored and that Jaemin hadn’t snitched about them making out, something he knew he had seen from the kitchen door.


End file.
